Huskies bring 3-game win streak to Ferris State
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Michigan Tech's three-game win streak started a week ago at Ferris State.
Today, the Huskies (11-5-1) hope to extend the streak, visiting the Bulldogs again after Tech won 6-4 on Feb. 2.
Puck drop is at 4:07 p.m. for the Huskies' seventh straight road game and fourth game in the past week.
The Bulldogs (1-14-1) are coming off a tie and loss against Bemidji State last weekend.
The Huskies and Bulldogs have grown familiar with each other as the Huskies play against Ferris State four times in a stretch of six games -- the other two being the sweep at Alabama Huntsville last weekend. The Huskies will return to play Ferris State in their first home games since Jan. 23 against Northern Michigan.
It's been a long year on the ice for the Bulldogs even without the overhauled off-ice routine brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Huskies have had spread out offensive production this year, especially in the past week and a half.
The Huskies have 82 assists on 47 goals this season. Going back to the Jan. 29-30 series at Bowling Green, Tech has 18 goals and 34 assists. Tech is averaging 4.33 goals per game after three games this month, up from 2.83 in six January games.
The offense has been led by sophomore transfer Tristan Ashbrook, who has scored in each of the last four games. Ashbrook, a Manistique native, has scored five points going back to Jan. 30 at Bowling Green.
Junior captain Alec Broetzman has scored a goal in five of the past six games with nine points.
The Huskies have also been strong defensively, giving up two goals per game, tied for the fifth-best in the country.
Ferris State has been outscored 71-44 and only three Bulldogs players have a positive plus-minus.
The Bulldogs also haven't had the goaltending they were hoping for.
Junior goaltender Roni Salmenkangas gives up an average of 4.18 goals a game with a .861 save percentage and more than 500 minutes played. Freshman goaltender Logan Stein has seen marginally better success, giving up 4.07 goals a game with a .873 save percentage and 398 minutes played.
The Huskies, by contrast, have had some of the better goaltending so far in the country.
Sophomore goalie Blake Pietila has played 683 minutes as of Monday, with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage, fourth-best in the nation.